Thresher women fall to Falcons

After a strong showing in the first five minutes of the game, the Bethel College women’s basketball team was it own worst enemy in a 71-45 loss to Friends University Thursday in Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference play Thursday at Thresher Gym. Bethel was plagued by poor shooting and 29 turnovers. “I only had one key on the board for this game, and that was the first five minutes,” Bethel coach Mark Fox said. “We have really struggled recently, coming out of the gates and starting well. We came out of the gates well, but the last 35 minutes was the worst effort we gave all year. That was tough to watch.” Friends, 7-4 overall and 2-1 in the KCAC, was led by Tina Fakahafua with 15 points, Inekka Stevenson with 11 and Abril Marshgall with 10. All three came off the bench. Bethel was led by Lauren Ulrich with 13 points. Bethel jumped ahead 12-4 in the first five minutes of the game. In less than a minute, Friends ran off six straight points, aided by BC turnovers. It took Bethel nearly five minutes before they would score again, breaking a 12-12 tie. Friends then went on a 10-1 run. Bethel trailed by as many as 11 late in the first half. A Marshall layup at the buzzer kept the Falcons up by nine, 32-23. Bethel had 16 turnovers in the first half. After hitting four of the first five shots, Bethel ended the half six of 22 from the field. Friends was 11 of 27 shooting. A 12-3 Friends run, aided by six Bethel turnovers, took the Threshers out of the game. Bethel took just two shots from the field in the first seven minutes of the second half. “In the second half, not only did we not shoot well, but we didn’t defend,” Fox said. “About the only points we got in the second half were from free throws. You see the difference in the last two games — Bethany, 10 of their top 12 kids are juniors and seniors. Friends, 11 of their top 12 kids are juniors or seniors. We’re all freshman and sophomore. There’s a big difference. We can’t let that be an excuse. Toughness has no age, and we have to be tougher.” Bethel falls to 4-7, 1-2 in KCAC play. Bethel hosts Tabor at 5 p.m. Saturday. Tabor topped Bethany 60-45 for its fourth straight win, improving to 6-5, 3-0 in KCAC play. “They are one of the top teams in the conference right now outside of Southwestern,” Fox said. “(Tabor coach) Shawn (Winter) went out and got all transfer kids in. They are going to be juniors and seniors again. If we don’t come ready to play, they may shut us out.”FRIENDS (7-4, 2-1 KCAC) — Wiltse 2-4 0-0 4, W.Bates 2-3 2-2 6, Boyd 1-5 0-0 2, Whetstone 1-4 0-0 2, Munds 1-2 2-2 4, Foss 0-2 0-0 0, Bartelds 0-1 0-0 0, Sims 1-6 1-3 3, Steffenson 4-4 1-4 9, Justice 1-2 0-0 2, Fakahafua 6-7 0-2 15, Miller 0-0 0-0 0, Marshall 2-3 6-8 10, Stevenson 5-12 0-0 11, Henderson 1-5 0-0 3, TOTALS 27-60 12-21 71. BETHEL (4-7, 1-2 KCAC) — Scott 1-2 0-0 2, Durant 0-3 4-4 4, Ebenkamp 2-3 2-6 6, Ulrich 3-15 5-7 13, Wilkerson 2-4 1-4 7, Bria.Bates 0-0 0-0 0, Goniea 0-0 0-0 0, Regier 0-5 3-6 3, Zerger 0-1 0-0 0, Doerksen 0-0 0-0 0, Tschetter 1-1 4-4 6, Bright 1-2 2-2 4, Brown 0-1 0-0 0, TOTALS 10-37 21-33 45. Friends 32 39 —71 Bethel 23 22 —45 Total fouls — Fr. 25, BC 17. Technical fouls — none. Fouled out — Fr.: W.Bates. BC: Durant. 3-point shooting — Fr. 5-14 (Boyd 0-1, Whetstone 0-1, Munds 0-1, Fakahafua 3-3, Marshall 0-1, Stevenson 1-3, Henderson 1-4), BC 4-11 (Ulrich 2-7, Wilkerson 2-2, Zerger 0--1, Brown 0-1). Rebounds — Fr. 25 (Marshall 6), BC 37 (Scott 6). Assists — Fr. 14 (W.Bates 3), BC 7 (three with 2). Turnovers — Fr. 16 (Boyd 4), BC 29 (Ulrich 7). Blocked shots — Fr. 4 (Marshall 3), BC 2 (Scott 1, Tschetter 1). Steals — Fr. 15 (Steffenson 4), BC 6 (Ulrich 3).